"Your Majesty, please be magnanimous and spare me this once!"

"Considering my mistake was unintentional and I still have royal blood in my veins, please forgive me this time!"

"I beg you, please spare me..."

Li Zhiping knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

His wretched and humble appearance was a far cry from his arrogance moments before.

Jiang Chen was certain that if it weren't for the Imperial Guards blocking him, the guy would have already pounced on him, grabbing his legs and begging for forgiveness.

Thinking of this, he looked at Li Zhiping with a hint of disgust.

Jiang Chen didn't necessarily want to kill everyone who offended him. If this guy had a bit of backbone and remained tough to the end,

he would have likely given him a lighter sentence, considering they were both members of the imperial clan.

But now, he felt disgusted even looking at the guy!

Turning his gaze away, Jiang Chen said coldly, "Men, take him away and lock him in the imperial prison!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several Imperial Guards stepped forward and dragged Li Zhiping away.

At this point, he was completely devoid of the arrogance and conceit he had shown moments before.

His face was filled with fear, and his constant pleas for mercy made it impossible to associate him with the high-spirited 'Great Hero Li'!

After the man was taken away.

The Imperial Guard Commander Xu Mu slowly stepped forward and tentatively said, "Your Majesty, we only brought one carriage on this trip. If we take Young Master Jia first, your schedule will be delayed."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen paused slightly and began to size up Jia Yao, who was standing to the side.

Tsk, why does a man have to be so good-looking?

That Li Zhiping is blind, calling me, such a mighty man, a pretty boy... Did he not take a good look at Jia Yao?

The prolonged gaze made Jia Yao's heart race. He couldn't help but lower his head, feeling secretly apprehensive.

Why is His Majesty staring at him? It's so scary!

Wait, could it be that his disguise as a woman has been exposed?!

His heart sank, and Jia Yao trembled as he said, "Y-Your Majesty, may I ask if I have done something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze and stroked his chin, saying, "It's nothing. It's just that I only brought one carriage this time, and if I send you home, my schedule will be delayed. I'm thinking about how to solve it."

Hearing this, Jia Yao let out a long sigh of relief and cupped his fist, saying, "Your Majesty, your affairs are more important. How can you let me delay them?"

"You can just send me back to the gathering. My servants are waiting there. As long as I reunite with them, I can get home safely!"

Jiang Chen had originally planned to do so, but he detected the eagerness in Jia Yao's tone, as if he was very anxious to distance himself from him.

This made Jiang Chen inexplicably annoyed, and he immediately changed his mind, saying, "That's not appropriate. You came out this time to have fun, but you suffered this misfortune because of me. I can't just let you go home so rashly."

"Ah?" Jia Yao was dumbfounded.

Jiang Chen was amused by his stunned expression, but on the surface, he said seriously, "Jia Yao, you are still my disciple, but I have been too busy with government affairs to find time to see you."

"Since we have this opportunity today, I will spend a day with you to make up for the bond between us as master and disciple. What do you think?"

Now that he had said so much, could she refuse?

Jia Yao didn't think she had the courage or the means to offend the emperor.

For now, she forced a happy smile, drooping her head and saying, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Your Majesty. This is Jia Yao's good fortune!"

Jiang Chen found her forced smile amusing, and clapped his hands, saying, "Since we're having fun, we should go to some interesting places... Our first stop as master and disciple will be a brothel!"

"I've been living in the palace for a long time and have never been to such a place of pleasure. I'm very curious. You, Jia Yao, are a recognized talent in the capital, so you should be very familiar with these places."

"For this trip, my dear disciple, you will lead the way. Of course, all expenses will be on me, as a token of my appreciation."

Anyone else who could go to a brothel with the emperor would surely be overwhelmed with gratitude and feel that they had become a confidant.

But at this time, Jia Yao only felt unlucky!

A brothel was not a place that a woman could enter!

If her parents found out, she would at least be punished with a family beating. Of course, that would be a good outcome.

Even worse would be if she was exposed in the brothel, her female identity revealed, and the emperor charged her with deceiving the emperor, and her whole family was thrown into prison.

Seeing Jia Yao's unwillingness, Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and said, "Jia Yao, why aren't you saying anything? Are you unwilling?"

Jia Yao came back to her senses and stammered, "Y-Your Majesty, this isn't very appropriate..."

"You are the ruler of a country, with a noble status. How can you go to such an unclean place as a brothel?"

"Moreover, brothels are mixed with all sorts of people, and anything can happen. If something unexpected happens, I won't be able to bear the responsibility even if I sacrifice my whole family!"

"If you really want to have fun, why don't we go back to the gathering? I can introduce you to some great scholars, and we can discuss tea and Taoism, which would be much more elegant than visiting a brothel."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Mu, who was usually taciturn, also spoke up, advising, "Your Majesty, what Young Master Jia said is reasonable!"

"Brothels are really not good places. Your identity is noble, and if something unexpected happens, how can this humble servant explain to Noble Consort Shu?"

Jiang Chen frowned. He wasn't going there for pleasure. He simply wanted to see the special customs of ancient times. What unexpected things could happen?

He immediately said decisively, "I have made up my mind, you don't need to persuade me anymore."

"I am determined to visit this brothel today, even if knives fall from the sky, I will go!"

"However, you don't need to worry. I know what I'm doing and won't mess around."

After saying that, he turned his head to look at Jia Yao and said unquestioningly, "You, lead the way. Find me the best brothel. Can you do that?"

Jia Yao's beautiful eyes widened, tears welling up as she said, "Y-Your Majesty... Please reconsider!"

"Tsk!" Jiang Chen was a little speechless and frowned, saying, "Jia Yao, you're a man, why are you so indecisive? Why don't you act more decisively?"

"Seeing you like this, I'm starting to regret taking you as my disciple!"

Jia Yao felt extremely wronged by the scolding. She was a woman being forced to go to a brothel, how could she not be conflicted?

Biting her lip, she said, "Your Majesty, can I... can I take you to the place and then go home myself?"

Jiang Chen glanced at him and coldly refused, "No."

"It's a great honor to accompany the emperor. All the noble sons in the court are begging for it, but you're refusing this blessing. I don't agree!"

Hearing this, Jia Yao lowered his head in depression, complaining inwardly.

"Blessing? What kind of blessing is this?"

"Hmph, you can have this blessing if you want it?!"